Improvement in game-boards



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES L. EGGLESTON, OF NORWICH, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN GAM E-BOARDS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 152,036, dated June 16,11:74; application filed March 6, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES L. EGGLEs'roN, of Norwich, in New Londoncounty and State of Connecticut, have invented a certain Improved Game,of which the following is a specitication:

My invention consists of a circular gameboard having an upright rim orange around it, and inclining from the base of the flange to a circulardepression in the center of the board, having a proper number of holesor hemispherical cavities made in the inclined surface of the board atvarying distances from the center, each holebei n gdesi gn ated b y adiierent number representing; its count in the game. The second part ofmy invention consists of a compact and convenient counter forregistering the amount of the numbers Won in rolling balls upon thegame-board. This counter consists of a suiiicient number of small holesarranged in concentric circles in a circular board, which is made as acover for the game-board when not in use, so that the whole forms asmall and ornamental box.

Figure l is a top view of my game-board. Fig. 2 is a sectional View ofthe same with its cover upon it;v and Fig. 3 represents the plan of mycounter.

A is the circular board, which may be made of plain or ornamental wood,having its top inclinin g from the circumference to the center, as shownin Fig. 2. B is the flange or rim ex.- tending around the board, beingmade high enough to prevent the escape of the ball E While rollingaround upon the board. C is a circular depression in the central part ofthe board, to hasten the stopping'ot the ball E after it has passedwithin the limits of the outer numbered holes 5, l0, 15, &c., which aremade in the inclined surface of the board, as shown in Fig. l. D is thecounter, which also forms a cover to the game-board, having a largenumber of small holes, 5, 10, 15, &c., for inserting pins, and numberedto correspond with the nulnbers on the game-board, and arranged inconcentric circles about the center, the last number in each circlebeing connected by a line with the first number in the adjacent insidecircle, as shown in Fig. 3. 1f preferred, the holes in the game-boardand counter may be numbered by units 0r by tens, instead of by fives, asshown in the drawing.

This game is played by rolling the ball with the hand, so that it shallpass around the board several times. Should it lodge in one of theoutside holes-say, 20-put the pin in hole 2() in the counter' and rollagain and again in the same manner until the ball falls into the centerhole o, which counts nothing, when the neXt person plays in the samemanner. While any pin remains in the outside circle of the counter andanother person Wins the same hole he takes it, and that pin is thrownout and must begin anew ;L but when Within the outside circle the twopins change lplaces-as, for instance, it' one pin is in hole 100 andanother Whose pin is in hole 90 Wins 10 he takes the hole 100, and thefirst is set back into the hole 90, and so on until vthe inside circle285, 290, 295 is reached, when any person occupying either of theseholes `must roll the ball to win at one roll either 15, 10, or 5,respectively, in order to gain the center hole 300 and win the game. y

I claim as my inventionl. The circular game-board A inclined from itslan ge B toward the central depression C, and having' the various holes5,10, .15, &c., arranged around the center hole o, substantially as andfor the purpose herein described.

2. The circular counter D, having its lilies and holes arranged andnumbered, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

JAMES L. EGGLESTON.

Vitnesses:

JoAB B. ROGERS, VEBSTER PARK.

